Quick answer: An “or equal” clause is a route to request a substitution under the actual solicitation, not permission to replace equipment automatically. Compare every numbered requirement with the full proposed SKU/revision and supporting evidence. Mark verified matches, differences and unresolved checks honestly; submit the required form before the deadline. The buyer’s authorized reviewer decides whether the proposal is accepted.
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What do reviewers compare in an “or equal” request, and what do they ignore?
Read the actual substitution clause, full specification and camera schedule first. The named reviewer, procedure, deadline and approval authority come from those documents; do not assume that a familiar Division 01 or Division 28 heading sets the rules for every project. How to Read a Video Surveillance RFP covers the wording questions to resolve before preparing the request.
What a reviewer compares:
- Resolution and frame rate as pixel counts, not labels (“3840×2160@30fps”, not “4K”); lens type and focal range.
- Minimum illumination, IR and white-light distances, wide dynamic range figure and type.
- IP and IK ratings, operating temperature, housing; audio and alarm I/O, edge storage, compression, power input.
- Analytics named by function (line crossing, intrusion, human and vehicle classification), not by a brand’s feature name; ONVIF profiles.
- Warranty term and the compliance documents the Part 1 clauses demand.
Use measurable values with document revisions and page references. Identify unsupported claims and deviations clearly. A disclosed deviation can still make a proposal unacceptable; disclosure is necessary but does not guarantee approval. Do not treat a longer distance, extra feature or higher number as automatically equivalent or better for the actual requirement.
How do you lay out the equivalence table?
Use one comparison per camera schedule line item: dome, PTZ or recorder. Start from the camera schedule template and the actual tender. Include the clause reference; the requirement and unit; basis-of-design value and source page; full proposed CASE SKU/revision and exact documented value; verdict; and evidence, revision, page and effect of any difference. Use Pending verification where evidence is unresolved, alongside Comply, Exceed and Deviate. The shortened worked table below illustrates the method; it is not the project’s required form.
The worked example fills the requirement, CASE and verdict columns for an 8MP varifocal dome line item using the CS-I8MS I-2.7-13.5mm. The requirement wording is typical specification language shown to illustrate the method; your table copies the actual clause.
| Criterion | Example requirement (as a spec might write it) | CS-I8MS I-2.7-13.5mm, as printed | Verdict and note |
|---|---|---|---|
| Resolution and frame rate | 8 MP, 3840×2160, not less than 25 fps | 3840×2160@30fps | Comply |
| IR illumination | IR to 98 ft (30 m) | Catalog maximum IR distance 164 ft (50 m) | Compare the stated test conditions and required night image; distance alone is not proof of identification or acceptance |
| Wide dynamic range | True WDR, 120 dB | 120dB | Comply on the figure; no WDR type is printed, so confirm in writing before writing “True WDR” |
| Operating temperature | −22 °F to 122 °F (−30 °C to 50 °C) | −31 °F to 149 °F (−35 °C to 65 °C), 0–95% RH | Exceed |
| Audio and alarm I/O | 1 audio in/out, 1 alarm in/out, built-in speaker | Audio I/O 1/1; Alarm I/O 2/1; Built-In Microphone Yes; Built-In Speaker N/A | Deviate on the speaker; state it and its effect |
| Analytics | Line crossing, intrusion, human and vehicle classification | The catalog lists Tripwire, Perimeter and Human & Vehicle Classification | Verify the required rule, target behavior, firmware and actual test; names alone do not prove functional equivalence |
| ONVIF | ONVIF Profile S and Profile T | Obtain the exact model/firmware conformance record | Pending verification and required client test; do not copy a family-wide profile claim |
| Power | PoE IEEE 802.3af | From the SKU spec sheet (not on the catalog page) | Never copy another SKU’s value |
| Warranty | Not less than 3 years | Obtain the actual model/order written terms | Compare term, start milestone, exclusions and service responsibilities; do not mark Exceed from a badge alone |
| Compliance | NDAA Section 889 compliant | Request clause-specific evidence tied to the exact SKU/revision | Pending evidence and the authorized reviewer’s decision; a requested document is not an accepted claim |
Use the current revision-specific sheet for the proposed equipment, and record conflicts with the catalog or website as questions. For a recorder, verify channels, stream formats, AI-on input bandwidth, decoding/display load, storage and I/O separately. The catalog heading on physical page 57 is CS-N440 P16-H-AI, while the store uses CS-N440 P16H-AI; resolve that identifier and revision before attaching evidence. See the large-site AI NVR guide for the recorded discrepancy.
Where does a CASE row often exceed what the specification asks for?
Warranty, temperature and extra functions are useful comparison areas, but each needs the actual clause and evidence. A favorable number does not override a missing required function, approval or operating condition.
Warranty
Compare the written warranty for the supplied model/order with the required start milestone, term, exclusions, parts/labor and service responsibilities. A catalog year badge does not prove that all these conditions are satisfied. General category policies are a starting point, not a warranty for every SKU. Confirm the term, exclusions and claim process for the exact model and revision in writing. Project Series items, intercoms, powered accessories and model-specific exceptions need their own confirmation; hard-drive claims follow the applicable drive-manufacturer terms. CASE Warranty by Category explains the questions to confirm.
Operating temperature
If the clause requires −22 °F (−30 °C), compare that exact boundary with the offered model’s documented conditions. Catalog physical page 8 lists CS-I8MS I-2.7-13.5mm at −31 °F to 149 °F (−35 °C to 65 °C), 0–95% RH. That lower limit does not meet a −40 °F (−40 °C) requirement. Physical page 16 lists CS-I4SV S-2.8mm at −40 °C to 65 °C; do not transfer that range to another series letter or treat one matching row as approval of the whole product.
Deterrence
An extra light, audio or analytic feature may be useful, unnecessary or restricted by the site. Verify the exact model’s documented functions and how they can be configured to meet the requirement. Do not mark an item Exceed merely because it has deterrence features. Laser functions require the applicable safety assessment and instructions; they are not general-purpose scene illumination. See Active Deterrence Cameras: EW/AEW for the planning questions.
Where do you have to be plainly honest: software ecosystem and certifications?
Software ecosystem
Where a requirement includes an existing client or management platform, compare the complete workflow: supported device, firmware, client version, recording, events, playback and export. For a required ONVIF conformance claim, verify the full model and firmware in the official ONVIF database. Then test the required streams, recording, playback and events with the actual client/version. A profile list or brand name is not a complete integration statement. Describe CASE Connect only by the functions confirmed for the actual device and software version. Android is available; iOS is forthcoming. A web version exists, but do not publish an unverified access URL or assume feature parity. CASE Station desktop and CASE Cloud remote NVR configuration are separate products; neither name establishes cloud recording.
Certifications and compliance
Separate approvals, emissions records, procurement representations and hazardous-area certificates. Missing catalog information means evidence is needed; it does not establish listed or unlisted status. Obtain records for the actual SKU/revision/configuration and compare their scope with the required clause. Mark a verified difference as Deviate and unresolved evidence as Pending verification. An NDAA evidence request or broad brand statement is not an exact-model approval; the authorized reviewer must decide on the offered items.
What goes into the substitution request itself?
Use the required form, submission channel and deadline from the actual bid documents. The fields below are a preparation checklist; they do not replace a mandatory form or create an approval right.
| Field | What to write |
|---|---|
| Specification reference | Section, paragraph and schedule tag (28 20 00, 2.3.B, camera type “C-2”) |
| Basis of design and proposed substitution | Brand X model as the spec names it; full CASE SKU with series letter, quantity, spec sheet revision date |
| Reason for request | Factual: availability, lead time, performance on the attached table, warranty term, documentation |
| Equivalence and deviations | “See attached table: X rows Comply, Y Exceed, Z Deviate”; each deviation in a sentence with its effect on the owner and other trades |
| Attachments | Spec sheet per SKU, per-SKU compliance documentation, warranty statement by category, ONVIF profile statement, mounting accessory sheets |
| Statement | That the bidder reviewed the substitution against the full specification and accepts coordination responsibility; signed |
Read the actual substitution procedure for the form, deadline and authority; a project may cite 01 25 00, but that reference is not universal. Confirm the full current SKU and revision, request the required records early, complete the table and disclose differences. Submit through the required channel and retain the written decision. If approved and awarded, carry that decision and accepted equipment schedule into the post-award submittal checklist and final as-built record.
What to tell your customer
We are requesting approval through your stated substitution procedure. The attached table identifies the proposed full SKU/revision, supporting documents, verified matches, differences and pending checks. Written model-specific warranty and required compliance records are included where available. The proposal remains subject to your authorized review and approval.
FAQ
Does “or equal” mean identical to the basis of design?
No. The actual clause defines what is permitted and who decides. Demonstrate the required functions and conditions with exact-model evidence, disclose differences and identify pending checks. Neither a longer IR figure nor a feature-name match guarantees equivalence or approval.
Can I fill the table from the catalog page instead of the spec sheet?
Use the current revision-specific manufacturer sheet for material specifications and the documents the clause actually requires. Catalogs and websites may omit rows or disagree; record the conflict and obtain written clarification instead of choosing the most favorable number. For setup or integration checks, find the IP camera user manual for the actual model, but do not substitute a manual for missing certification or specification evidence. Quote the documented value and label any unit conversion.
What do I write when a CASE SKU does not meet one requirement?
Record the verified difference and its effect, then request an approved alternative or revised approach through the required procedure. Any extra contractor obligation needs separate authorization and cannot silently repair a manufacturer gap. Keep unresolved evidence marked pending; never invent a compliant value or assume that disclosure guarantees acceptance.
What warranty term goes in the table?
General category policies are a starting point, not a warranty for every SKU. Confirm the term, exclusions and claim process for the exact model and revision in writing. Project Series items, intercoms, powered accessories and model-specific exceptions need their own confirmation; hard-drive claims follow the applicable drive-manufacturer terms. Compare the actual term and all clause conditions before marking the row.
References
- Anabon current model documents and manuals
- ONVIF model and firmware conformance database
